São Paulo's
shopping
possibilities are as varied as the city's restaurants and, for Paulistanos with the means, as important an activity. In the wealthy southwestern suburbs of Cerqueira César and the Jardins, shops are far more impressive than those in just about any other Brazilian city, and the quality way above par. Even if you're not intent on a spree, the shopping centres and stores are worth a tour to experience the opulent surroundings. And there's a fine selection of
markets
, too, where you can pick up a decently priced souvenir or two and some good food.
The widest selection of Brazilian
music
in the city can be found in Música da República, Praça da República, Centro, while Sebo do Disco, Rua Lisboa 45, Jardim América, is good for secondhand Brazilian records. A great place to buy records of all sorts is at Grandes Galerias, a down-at-heel shopping centre at Rua 24 de Maio, just behind the Teatro Municipal.
For English-language
books
, try Cultura - São Paulo's best bookstore - in the Conjunto Nacional building, Av. Paulista 2073, Cerqueira César, or Bestseller, Av. Tietê 184, Cerqueira César. Livraria Corrêa do Lago, Rua João Cachoeira 267, Itaim Bibi, has what is probably Brazil's most extensive collection of rare and out-of-print books for sale. More English-language books, plus a wide selection of Portuguese works on Brazilian history and politics, are available from branches of Brasiliense, scattered around the city, and Seridó, in Edifício Copan shopping mall, Av. São Luís near Praça da República.
Shopping centres
The rich victors of the Brazilian economic "miracle" wander São Paulo's shopping centres - air-conditioned temples to hedonism - able to feel utterly insulated from their less fortunate fellow citizens. Each centre tries to outdo the other, with...
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Downtown shopping
The main shopping streets in the centre of the city are near
Praça da República
, especially the roads running off Avenida Ipiranga: Rua Barão de Itapetinga, Rua 24 de Maio, Rua do Arouche and, between them, Rua Dom José de Barros. Most of the...
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Cerqueira César and the Jardins
South of Avenida Paulista is where the money is, and where all the best stores are. There are lots of expensive designer boutiques, especially in the streets running parallel to and crossing Rua Augusta, most notably Rua Oscar Freire, Alameda Lorena, Rua...
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Markets
There's lots of choice here, from handicrafts to flowers, and one - the Mercado Municipal - that ranks as one of the best
markets
in Brazil. The different
bairros
also have their own markets.
Antiguidades e Artes
...
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